War's Restitution
by Luvspook
Summary: Heero is presumed dead, after a lethal toxin is released on an unsuspecting colony. Having survived, but with little memory of his past, can he put the pieces together in time to save the Earth from meeting the same fate? Episode 10 is up! Did Relena's
1. War's Restitution-Prologue

Disclaimer: Well, let me see if I rememberhmm, how does that go againoh, yeah. Gundam Wing and its characters do not belong to me. They belong to Sotsu, Bandai, Sunrise, and anyone else that I am unaware of or did not mention. I don't know any of them personally, but I will forever be indebted to their brilliance and pure genius. The world they have created is so much fun to play inhehehehe!

Author's Note: I triedI truly did, but I couldn't stop the creative process from invading my dreams on a day-to-day basis. Although I am very gung-ho about finishing Legacies first, I am finding myself distracted by too many new ideas. I am afraid that this oneI could not ignore. To those of you still reading and reviewing Legacies (and you know who you are), I want to thank you for putting up with me. Your kind words and support have brought me to where I am in my writing. And I thank you immensely. I hope you enjoy this latest attempt at fanfic.

War's Restitution by Luvspook

Prologue

Several months have passed since the brief uprising of the Barton Foundation, led by Mariemaia, the daughter of Treize Khushrenada. Thanks to the Preventer Group, the Earth Sphere Unified Nations remained at peace, and the ideals posed by the Barton Foundation, were forever silenced.

The former Gundam pilots were taken into the ranks of the Preventers, helping to once again, protect Earth and the colonies, against the threat of attack.

In recent weeks, though, rumors of a new threat have arisen 

_"PhoenixThis is Water..."_ Heero Yuy's communicator crackled to life; the static covered screen, hazing into an outline resembling that of fellow Preventer, Sally Po.

"This is Phoenix." He confirmed, abruptly, as his hands worked to sharpen the image. "Securing a line to .073"

_"I copy that Phoenixmatching that frequency" _Sally's voice replied, the comm. link finally working its way into focus. 

Sally Po smiled as the picture cleared on her end as well, and she was greeted with the familiar visage of cobalt blue eyes, which glared at her from beneath a mass of tangled mahogany locks.

Heero's face was set in its usual no-nonsense expression, but his eyes appeared sullen and dispassionate, from what she could only assume to be lack of sleep.

"Heero, we have good news. It seems that the source where those containment blocks we found, originated from, is in your vicinity"

"What are the coordinates?" Heero questioned, his demeanor seeming to perk up at the possibility of acquiring his latest targets.

"It's from one of the new coloniesColony Z-12195. But, Heero, the containment block that we examined had far more in it than what we initially expected, and it seems that we'll have a bit more than just a few new mobile suits on our hands, this time."

"What do you mean?" Heero asked, his icy glare matching the chilled tone of his voice.

"The containment block was transporting what we have determined to be, some extremely volatile chemicals, but in crystalline form. The composition and chemical makeup suggests a dangerously high level of toxicity. Judging by the size of the shipment, I'd be willing to guess, it might even be enough to destroy an entire colony's population."

Heero's eyes narrowed at the thought, as if sorting out inside his mind, which question to ask first.

"Any ideas on who might have set it adrift?" 

"Not yet." Sally replied. "Apparently Colony Z-12195 has a high scientific constituency. I suppose, it is possible that the block was meant to be disposed of, but"

"But, not likely." Heero commented, dryly, finishing the thought. "What does Une think?"

"She's devising plans for a complete grid-pattern search around that entire area of space. She wants to make damn sure that there aren't more of these containment units, just floating around out there." Sally responded, sharply.

"I'm going to do a little searching of my own." Heero said, suddenly, the minuscule hint of inflection in his voice, quick to catch Sally Po's ears.

"Heerobe careful. I may have underplayed the potential risk in this operation. The containment units that we found housed a special coolant system, which maintained the chemicals in a crystalline composition. However, with the right amount of heat applied, their structure could be altered. If that happens, we could be facing a serious threat"

"That's why we don't have time to waste." Heero interrupted, his jaw set with firm determination. 

"All right" Sally sighed, defeated. "But I'm sending you backup this time."

She could immediately see the argument rising inside Heero's mind, and quickly silenced him.

"I'm placing the highest level of priority on thisI'll even get Une to sign off on it as an order, if I have to."

"" 

"Make sure you report in regularly. Keep us informed if you find out anything. And I mean _anything_"

"Roger that." Heero replied, before the screen faded to black, leaving Sally alone with a heavy burden of fears.

"Good luck, Heero."

END

Okay, okay, I know the opening leaves a bit to be desired, but I've got big plans. Really, I do! ****falls to hands and knees, shamelessly begging and groveling at the reader's feet**** Please, I promise it will get better. Please don't stop reading 


	2. Episode 1: Dark Revelations

Disclaimer: This is storyline number two in the works now, because those of you who read and reviewed seemed to like the idea, so I went with it. I am still working on Legacies, too. But you know how that old saying goes about absence making the heart grow fonder... I do feel the need to point out at this time that I make no profits from my writing, here or at any other siteso don't bother trying to sue me. Can you say COMPLETE WASTE OF TIME?

Author's Note: For anyone who has not read any of my other fanfics, I should warn you that I love angst and heavy drama, with a healthy mix of action to boot. A little blood and profanity tends to crop up throughout them, too. You have been warned. Also, I'd like to point out, for those of you just beginning this story, there is a prologue written for thisyou might want to give it a quick read first. Now, on to the fic

War's Restitution by Luvspook

Episode 1: Dark Revelations

The high-pitched beep generated by his laptop, immediately brought Heero back to full consciousness, erasing all traces of his fatigue. 

The list he had compiled from a number of hacked databases, was a short one, he noted, as he began to cross-reference the multitude of potential sources.

_The internal design was specific_ He mused, in silence. _But, the containment block was probably salvagedCould be from anywhere _

Playing a hunch, he quickly accessed the Preventer Group's encrypted security network, retrieving the file outlining the specifics behind his mission. 

Somewhere in the back of his mind, he knew that he was playing with fire. He also knew where hacking into the database of his current employers would leave him, but his gut reaction told him that there was more to this, than what he had been told.

Skimming through the report with frenzied interest, Heero wasn't surprised to find that the danger Sally had spoken of was in little doubt. His eyes narrowed as a few key words caught his attention.

_Undetermined origin and chemical structureAll attempts to counteract-FAILED_

Continuing to read, he also found evidence that a small group of scientists aboard the containment block had been found dead, each displaying a variety of symptoms and side effects, from exposure to the chemical. 

_Had they been testing it for some reason?_ He wondered to himself, toying with the notion that perhaps science had finally reared its ugly head, claiming the lives of those six young men as unwitting victims of their own creation.

The deceased were left unnamed in the report, but judging by the information he did have, namely the identification marker found on the containment block itself, he knew where he needed to start. 

Hopefully, the backup that Sally had spoken of earlier, would arrive soon Heero thought to himself. _Then maybe, no one else will have to suffer the same fate as those scientists _

* * * * *

Colton Reid strode casually through the corridors of Preventers Headquarters, leaving an air of arrogance in his wake. Although, not looked on as favorably as the former Gundam pilots, he was both intelligent and capable, and had quickly risen through the ranks, as one of Lady Une's most trusted subordinates. 

A few years older than the Gundam pilots, he was both handsome and charming; with short, spiky, jet-black hair, and steel grayish-blue eyes, he had always found himself at the receiving end of someone's attention.

Except today

He noticed, after a few moments of walking, how eerily silent everything was. Usually, that loud-mouthed, ex-Gundam pilot, Duo Maxwell, would be carrying on about the latest joke he had heardor inciting a food-fight in the upstairs break room. 

But today, there was only silence 

"I better find out what's going on." He whispered, under his breath, before heading off in the direction of Lady Une's office.

* * * * *

"So that is our current status thus far" Lady Une said, concluding her short briefing. 

The four young men sat in silence, still pondering the possible ramifications of Une's worst case scenario.

Noin, Zechs, and Sally stood against the back wall, silently observing the former pilot's reactions as they were brought up to speed on all the "need-to-know-basis" material.

"I have managed to obtain for the five of you, our highest level of security clearance, until we have seized any and all of the remaining containment blocks that could be carrying this particularly hazardous material. If even a small amount of this chemical was to reach Earth, the heat generated, in the process of breaching the planet's atmosphere, could alter its composition. I don't think I need to explain to you of the potential outcome if that were to happen." 

"The death count could be in the hundreds..." Noin finally stated, all eyes in the room turning to her own. "Possibly even the thousands"

"So what are we gonna do about it?" Duo asked, visibly shaken over the possibilities. "I meanwe don't even know where it came fromor who created it"

"Heero Yuy is looking into that as we speak." Lady Une stated, softly. "Quatre, I'd like for you to join him in his investigation on Colony Z-12195, as soon as this briefing is finished. Perhaps the Winner family's influence in the colonies, may shed some light on where to begin."

Quatre nodded in affirmation of the order, but did not speak.

"I am appointing the rest of you each, to a different sector of the surrounding districts, particularly the colonies in closest vicinity to Colony Z. If there are any more of these containment blocks out there, your mission will be to secure them and bring them here to Headquarters, where they will be safely disposed ofUnderstood?"

There were a few quiet mumbles before Une stepped back, satisfied to see everyone nodding in agreement.

"Good. Make certain that the information you received here today does not leave this room. Your current mission, as well as any further orders are, and will remain, classified. If the details of this investigation were to be made public, we would have mass panic on our hands. The decisions and actions we take now, must be made cautiously, if we are to take control of this situation and prevent any loss of human lives."

"Right!" Duo replied, enthusiastically, seeming to be the voice for all four of the young pilots.

Unbeknownst to any of them, a single figure was listening to their every word

* * * * *

Dr. Cairn Selleste found her level of concentration dwindling rapidly. It had been days since she had slept; her excitement over the success margin of her "tests" had, up until now, fueled her frantic workload. 

The others didn't seem to share her enthusiasm over the most recent results, but, unlike them, she had never allowed her moral judgments to outweigh the potential advancements to her work. 

She had just stepped back from the miniature tabletop microscope, nearly knocking her stool over in the process, when one of her colleagues entered the lab.

Dr. Telphan Wendt was young, but brilliant. Just shy of his eighteenth birthday, he was one of many who had made stabilization of her pet project possible. She felt a slight twinge of regret every time that she saw the boy, imagining who he might have turned out to beor what he might have achieved had his affiliation with her, not destroyed his career. 

All regret disappeared from her mind, though as she thought about the world they would create togetherthe five of them.

"You're still working on the new coolant system" Wendt stated, sounding a bit surprised. "Have you slept at all today, Cairn?"

She didn't have the opportunity to mutter a reply, not that it really mattered. She knew her young assistant could see through any deception she might have devised.

"You knowthe others think you might have gone a bit too far" He remarked, softly, not really surprised that she hadn't stopped working. "You know, killing the doctors. I thought we had all agreed that we would save the first human tests for here inside the lab. What if something had gone wrong?"

"Nothing went wrong." She stated, autonomously. 

"But"

"Look, Wendt..." She interrupted, waving off any argument he might have pursued, with a single swipe of her hand. "You cannot be afraid of the potential risks right now. The preliminary tests were completed. The others were firm in the creative process, but they are cowards when it comes to furthering the research. We cannot remain in a laboratory forever. Anything short of a confined human testing in a sterile environment would have been meaningless. It was necessary."

Their eyes met briefly, flirting dangerously with the pure passion of their work. He could feel his face pale as he studied the determination that burned inside their jade-colored depth, knowing at that moment, how little human life really meant to her.

"Dr. Selleste" 

She turned, abruptly, at the sound of her name, noticing the young apprentice of her colleague, Dr. Arend.

"There is a transmission for you, Dr. Selleste." The young boy repeated, swallowing hard as she trained her intense glare on him, instead.

He cringed inwardly as her face took on an even more severe expression, and she stepped over to the comm. station against the far wall.

With the flick of a button, a familiar face greeted herone that turned Wendt's blood to ice, as a flurry of questions assaulted his mind. 

_A Preventer?Why would Cairn be talking to the Preventers?What the hell is going on, here?_

A twisted smile seemed to cross her once beautiful features as she met the stern figure on the screen before her. 

"Selleste, what are you up to!?" 

"Why, Mr. Colton Reidto what do I owe the pleasure?" She replied, mockingly.

"Cairn, this was not part of the plan" He retorted, angrily. "Now Une knows about it. She even cashed in on some old favors and got Zechs and Noin back in from the terraformation project on Mars."

"You said you had everything secured on your end" 

"I did until you left your little project out there for them to find. What the hell were you thinking? I can't cover for your mistakes, when I don't know about them, Cairn!"

Telphan watched the conversation with both awe and fear. From what he could tell, the Preventer was worried. Moreover, he thought he could see the faintest of smiles creep into his colleague's features as she, too, noticed it.

"You can't keep doing this"

"Oh, but I can, Colton." She purred, wickedly. "This just pushes us into Phase 3, a bit sooner than I intendedbut no matter."

The sound of her voice sent shivers coursing through Telphan Wendt's body, but she was too engrossed in her conversation with the Preventer to notice it. He never liked it when she took that tone. It was one that always made him question just how far she would be willing to go. He didn't like knowing what she was capable of, when someone trapped her in a corner.

"Don't do anything foolish, Cairn. I am taking a shuttle there now. I will buy us the time we need to come up with a plan. Remember our deal"

"I may not be the most ethical person in this world, Colton, but I do keep my promises. Now, what are you going to do about the Preventers?"

"Well, it seems that some of the details in Une's official report were falsified" He replied, with a dramatic gesture of mock surprise. "I am sure that Heero Yuy will be visiting some mutual friends of ours, shortly. With him out of the picture, we will have plenty of time to cover our tracks"

"But won't the others realize that you're gone? They'll be suspicious."

"With their new missions, no one will be paying attention to where I am. Have no fear of that." He answered, casually. "I'll join up with you as soon as I have finished with that ex-Gundam pilot, Yuy"

* * * * *

Brock Velleister didn't like ithe knew how to read people well enough to know who, and who not, to trust. And he knew one thing for certainthis kid meant trouble.

He watched for a moment as the young man with unruly brown hair, approached the counter, feeling himself begin to sweat under the intense glare housed within his cobalt blue orbs. 

Their eyes locked with a noticeable degree of suspicion, just moments before a young girl's voice broke the silence.

"Can I help you?" 

Brock turned to see his young sister and co-worker, Krysha, step up to the counter, obviously enthralled by the slender youth, who was still staring at him, intently.

"I'm trying to hunt down some records concerning a containment block that was discovered a few days ago, believed to have originated from this colony. According to the identification number, it was salvaged from your lot." 

"A containment block?" Krysha asked, feeling a slight tingle of fear and confusion rush through her veins. "from our salvage yard?"

"I'm looking into every possibility." He replied, evenly, mentally noting the other boy's reactions to the questions.

"I'm afraid it's just me and my brother here since my dad passed away last year." She said, with a sad smile. "I'm afraid we aren't much for keeping the books. You're more than welcome to look if you like, but I doubt you'll find much that will help you."

Heero noticed the sudden uneasiness that passed over the boy's features as she slid the book across the countertop.

_That kid is hiding something_

Heero shuffled through the loose receipts and noted a handful of names scrawled in the ledger, always keeping watch on the young boy behind the counter. 

_Time to test that theory_He thought to himself as he ran his finger down the list of entries. "There it is."

"Huh?" Both kids said, in unison, before Krysha turned to look at her brother. 

"Did you know about this?" She asked, frantically, as her brother began arguing with the stranger.

"That's impossible!" He screamed, slamming his hand down on top of the pages of the thick leather bound logbook; his sister pulling at his other arm.

"I thought you said that you weren't going to help them anymore!" She shrieked. "You promised me, Brock!"

"Krysha, I didn't! He's lyingI didn't do anything, I swear it!"

Heero stepped back from the counter, observing the scene as it unfolded before his eyes. 

Brock was fighting, desperately, to control his sister, who was alternating between shaking the boy and throwing wild punches at him. 

Heero knew that he would have to bring the situation under control in a hurry. He needed answers, and was quite sure now, that questioning these kids would probably get him those answers. Nevertheless, somethingsome instincttold him not to drop his guard just yet.

Without warning, the boy behind the counter lunged for something just out of his view, and Heero quickly dove out of the way as a gunshot rang out; the bullet narrowly missing his left shoulder. In a single swift and incomprehensibly accurate motion, he leapt from his position on the floor, disarming the boy with a sound, crushing blow to the arm. 

Heero's attack left him weaponless and defeated, and now he was the one on the receiving end of a gun barrel.

He looked up, finding nothing but a cold, calculated glare from his opponent. Looking into Heero's face was like staring at a dolla perfect mask of soulless blue eyes, shadowed just enough to be menacing, and grim determination etched across his unwavering features.

The only thought that came to his mind at that instant was that he was going to die.

"Don't move." Heero seethed, threateningly.

"Look, what do you want?" Brock asked, nervously. "It wasn't us, okay? We didn't have anything to do with it! We just gave them the parts"

"Gave who the parts?" Heero asked, clicking the safety off when Brock hesitated.

"Look, I don't know their names. You think they'd tell usCome on!" 

"Is protecting them really worth your life?" Was Heero's reply as he leveled his weapon off at the boy's face. "Because I'd make you a bet, they won't hesitate to let you die."

"Tell him, Brockplease!" His sister begged, the tears clinging shamelessly to her lashes. "Brock!"

"All rightit was"

Heero saw the boy's focus shift, but not until it was to late

His mind registered a brief flash of movement just before a blinding haze of pain shot through his skull. He struggled against the overwhelming dizziness that threatened to drive him to his knees, feeling the steady river of blood that careened down the side of his face. It was the last conscious memory before his world faded to black.

Colton Reid stared down in satisfaction, at the crumpled figure before him, amazed that he had actually subdued the former Gundam pilot with a single, well-placed blow.

He grimaced slightly as he noticed the modest pool of blood forming below the boy's head.

Training his weapon on the unconscious body before him, he whispered, "It looks like you picked the wrong mission to accept this time, Yuy" 

END

Well, that's all folks! I really hope you like this, I know there are a lot of names and stuff, but, I'm sure I'll be narrowing down the list of suspects fairly quickly. This fanfic might get kind of confusing, but I hope it will be rewarding when it is all done! Thanks for readingand I hope to get the next one out soon. Oh, and as an addition to my author's notes, I would like to point out that I am testing a theory about writing a story synopsis and how it relates to reviews. So I apologize to Rose, if you are reading this, I am not trying to steal your synopsis idea, but it is the reason I read Dangerous games Ch. 16...so, like I said, I'm testing the theory!


	3. Episode 2: Monsters Begetting Monsters

Disclaimer: Okay! Okay! You got meNo, Gundam Wing does not belong to me. I'm just seriously disturbed enough to think it does, sometimes. (Just kidding!) And the charactersNo, they aren't mine eitherwell, except for that weasel Colton Reid. But I don't know what inspired me to write that guy! The devil made me do it! 

Author's notes: It's me again! I really hope that those of you reading are getting into this. I know this is a bit slow going right now, but it will get better later on, that I can promise you. Most of this is introducing new characters and setting up the plot. A little faith goes a long wayso please stick with it. Thanks!

War's Restitution by Luvspook

Episode 2: Monsters Begetting Monsters

Everything was going straight to hell

_Two weeks ago, I was a normal kid_ Brock thought to himself, as the scene blurred before his eyes. Colton Reid had arrived just in time, as usual. However, as he glimpsed the unconscious body sprawled out, quite unceremoniously, on the hard wooden floor, he was beginning to wonder who he feared more.

"ColtWhat are you doing?" He screamed, having no desire to witness a cold-blooded murder. "You can't just kill him! COLTON!"

"He's a Preventer, Brock. He'll expose us and the entire groupand don't think for even an instant, that he wasn't about to kill you and that pretty little sister of yours, without so much as a second thought."

"But that doesn't mean he has to die! Come on, he doesn't know anything." He argued, again, watching helplessly as Reid clicked off the safety on his gun, slowly tightening his finger on the trigger.

"It's him or all of us, you fool. This isn't a matter of choice." Colton replied, harshly. "Now why don't you take little sister there for a walk while I finish up my business with our young friend, here."

"Brock, don't let him do this" Krysha cried, softly, pleading with her brother. "Please, don'tYou'll never be able to live with yourself, Brock. You won't be able to look at yourself in the mirror. Don't let him do this!"

Her argument was cut short as the small bell attached to the front door rang, and all eyes in the room quickly turned to find the source of the interruption.

"Good. I see I'm not too late." Cairn Selleste stated, with a smile, as she approached the three, her eyes quick to examine the felled Preventer. "It seems we may have found a suitable purpose for this one, after all."

"You what?!" Colton asked, his tone bordering between confusion and rage. "No way, Selleste, keeping him alive will jeopardize everything we've worked for. You don't know him. He'll expose you and your project. We kill him, now!"

"Are you really that foolish, Reid?" She sneered, stopping him cold. "Une rules over those Preventers like some kind of god. She's untouchable, even to you. That group is the only defensible organization of the Earth Sphere Unified Nation. If something were to happen, ESUN will be looking for someone to blame. And the person they'll findwill be Heero Yuy."

"But even if you could manage to set him up" He debated, quickly silenced by the young doctor's cruel and maniacal laughter.

"There will be no need for such deplorable tactics to convince the world of his involvement. When I'm finished with him, Heero Yuy will be swearing his allegiance to us. 

* * * * *

"Has Vice Foreign Minister Darlian checked in this morning, yet?" Une asked, softly. "It is imperative that I discuss Preventer protocol with her, in the event that the delegation meetings in space should be allowed to proceed as scheduled."

"I'm afraid the Vice Foreign is currently attending a peace conference in Bremen, and is not scheduled to arrive back here until early tomorrow evening." Relena's secretary replied, quietly. "But if you really must get in touch with her, I can give you the number for"

"That won't be necessary. But, please have her contact this office as soon as she returns, though." 

She abruptly terminated the connection, stepping over to the enormous expanse of windows, to think. She often found herself searching for answers as she looked out across the Earth's ever-changing horizon. Today was just one of many days that hoping to find those answers weighed far too heavily on her heart.

A knock at the door stirred her from her thoughts.

"Has there been any word?" She asked, as Lucrezia Noin entered her small office.

"I'm afraid not. And Heero should have checked in by now"

Noin's voice faded, as if afraid to mention the reasons why he wouldn't have.

"Has Quatre left to rendezvous with him, yet? 

"Yes. He should be arriving at Colony Z, shortly." Noin replied. "With any luck, we'll have a better idea of the situation, then."

"Good. I want to know the minute he arrives. Has Sally Po made any progress in identifying the substance found inside the containment block yet?"

"Not yet. It's like nothing we've encountered before" Noin answered, her express severe. "It may take finding whoever created it, to destroy it."

"Then let's just hope that Heero is successful in his mission" Une finished, turning back to the window. "Otherwise, there will be no way mankind can survive"

* * * * *

Trowa and Quatre had been in fairly constant communication, since Trowa's assignment had placed him in close working vicinity to the colony. Both were strong believers in the safety in numbers debate, and had made up their minds even before the briefing had officially ended.

_"This is QuatrePreparing for final descent..."_

"Roger that, Quatre." Trowa replied, softly, adjusting the frequency so he could pick up an image of the small shuttle on his view screen. "I'm on stand-by."

_"I'll contact you as soon as I'm inside." _

Trowa watched the view screen, intently, as the colony transformed before his eyes; seeming to heave and grow until finally, it opened its giant metal shell and swallowed the small shuttle, erasing it from view.

Within minutes, Trowa's radio crackled to life, and his whole body trembled as Quatre's words reached his ears

* * * * *

Lady Une had just hung up the phone with some of ESUN's top ranking members when the door to her office flew open.

She could tell by the look on Noin's face, the hollow fear burning in her eyes, that something was terribly, and undeniably, wrong.

"We just got a transmission from Trowa and QuatreThey're all deadColony ZEveryone is dead"

END

Gee, can't tell that I like the cliffhangers, huh? Please, if you made it this farat least stick around long enough to let me know what you thought of it. Hope you liked it as much as I liked writing it! But, if not, let me know that, too! Till next time


	4. Episode 3: Diminishing Hopes

Disclaimer: Pssst! Come hereI gotta tell you something. Don't tell anyone, but Gundam Wing does not belong to me. No, really! I'm serious. It belongs to Bandai, Sunrise, and Sotsuand maybe some others, too, that I don't know about. Who knows these days, right? The idea for the story is mine, and so are the new mad scientists, though. Oh, yeah, that dirty scoundrel Colton Reid is mine. And, don't worry, the toxin is made up, too. What can I say, I love this stuff!

Author's Note: This fic may get a bit confusing at times, and I don't always know where I'm going with it, but I promise I'll let you know when we get there, k? Enjoy! 

War's Restitution by Luvspook

Episode 3: Diminishing Hopes

Quatre's transmission had echoed through the corridors of Preventer Headquarters for days, resounding painfully in every ear, weighing on every heart, and touching every soul who heard it. 

Word had spread through the Preventer Group like an unquenchable inferno, and soon, getting assistance from ESUN had become imperative. The Hazardous Materials Unit had set up perimeter around the colony within hours, effectively quarantining it in order to contain the threat. Nevertheless, the memory of that day still lingered, even though no one was permitted to see it. 

Despite reports to the press and certain ESUN officials, denying the disappearance of one of their own agents, the Preventers had begun conducting a private investigation into Heero's whereabouts, led by Zechs and Noin. 

It wasn't long before news had reached Relena

Lady Une skimmed briefly through the contents of the manila folder in front of her, the file standing as a constant reminder of her worst fears.

The picture of the young pilot, with his piercing cobalt blue eyes set in their typical icy glare, taunted her mind, plaguing it with remorse.

She could remember a time in the not-so-distant past when she had looked on him as an enemy. Back in the days of the OZ organization, before Romefeller had changed the reason for battle, demeaning the existence of the human factor on the battlefield, and turning war into something ugly and senseless.

Treize had always been fond of the young pilot. He had admired his unwavering determination and strength, outwardly longing for the same uncompromising will to fight. He had even begun to question his own existence because of the boy. Maybe she had, too.

Now, because of herbecause of the Preventer GroupHeero Yuy was missing. Possibly, if not probably, dead. And with him, perhaps the only chance they would have to save the whole of humanity.

She set the folder and its contents into a scattered pile on her desk, catching her head in the palms of her hands, as her thoughts became a dizzying whirlwind of regrets.

_How could I have allowed this to get so far out of my control?_ Her mind questioned, harshly, as she found her eyes drawn to the face in the photograph once again. _How could I have allowed this to happen?_

Suddenly, and thankfully, a knock at the door interrupted her thoughts, and she quickly composed herself.

"Come in." She said, sullenly, pushing the folder and its contents to the far side of her desk.

Lucrezia Noin quickly worked her way into the room, accompanied by the young Vice Foreign Minister, who was no more than a few steps behind her. Both met Une's gaze with evident sadness and fatigue in their eyes, testament to the fact that the events of the past several days had taken their toll.

"Vice Foreign Minister Darlian" Lady Une addressed her, rising to her feet. "I was just recently informed of your plans to visit. Please forgive me for not being better prepared to welcome you."

"Do not trouble yourselves with me." Relena replied, softly, displaying her usual diplomatic smile, though she knew it was a weak attempt, at best. "Miss Noin has already explained to me about the investigation. I don't mean to cause any further delay in your efforts, and sincerely hope that my visit here will not be a hindrance to you."

"Of course not." Une answered.

"The delegation has asked that I speak on behalf of the Earth Sphere Unified Nation, at a press conference that is to be held this afternoon. But, in order to do that, I will need to see the effects of this tragedy, first hand."

"I'm afraid that ESUN's HAZMAT teams are still preventing all non-members of the organization from traveling to and from the surface. The investigation has been officially taken out of our hands."

"I see." Relena whispered, her face, crestfallen. 

"Noin" Lady Une continued, observing the Vice Foreign Minister's expression. "Tell me, how many deaths have been confirmed in the investigation on Colony Z?"

"So far" Noin replied, hesitantly. "12,892 dead. Fortunately, the colony was relatively new, and much of it was still under construction. I can only imagine how many more lives would have been lost"

"But still, nearly 13,000 lives. Men, women, and children who knew nothing of this war." Une argued, the debate turning to a futile and tired argument in her mind. "Some battles can be so meaninglessand that is what you can tell the delegation. Tell them what this tragedy has taken from the world."

Relena watched in silence, and felt her heart go out to the woman that she had once thought of as pure evil. The days of the Alliance had given birth to this once heartless soldier, who had taken her father's life without question, and who now stood before her as a protector to all that she had previously wished to destroy. 

She struggled to remain focused, her thoughts turning to Une's words, and the realization that she had not come to Preventer Headquarters as a diplomat, or an advocate of peace. She hadn't come to find answers for the delegation, and despite her sadness over the tragic loss of life on Colony Z, she cared very little about what it had taken from others. 

She felt selfish as she tendered the growing emptiness in her own heart. The real question in her mind tugged at her soul, endlessly, tearing down her resolve until the only thought that remained carried his name with it.

"I will tell them." Relena answered, obediently, pausing for a moment, as she sought the strength to ask the real question on her mind. "But, I must knowIs it true what they're saying? About Heero?"

She felt hope fading as Lady Une turned to face her, not missing the way her eyes dropped to the floor, hiding the truth in their depth. 

"We have not confirmed anything, yet."

"But he is missing, isn't he? Relena asked, sadly, exchanging glances with both Noin and Une.

"Heero's last transmission was placed from the colony's surface, about an hour before Quatre's was." Noin stated, doing her best to sound hopeful, without lying to the girl. "There was a large enough time frame that he may have escaped before the toxin was released, but there has been no transmission received from him since."

"I see" Relena whispered, the words catching in her throat as she held back her tears. 

"It's not unlike Heero to go off on his own, either." Noin continued. "There are any number of reasons why we may not have heard from him, yet."

_No, there isn't_ Relena thought to herself, as Noin finished speaking.

"You can't give up hope, Relena. We'll find him. If he's out there, Zechs and I will find him."

* * * * *

Dr. Selleste stepped up to the observation window, taking in the flurry of white coats shuffling about on the ground floor of the new laboratory. On occasion, she would catch one of the other scientists glaring in her direction, and the faintest hint of a smile curled at the edge of her lips. 

Her assistant and the others had been uncomfortable about her actions as of late, beginning to question her mental facilities in regards to their abrupt departure from Colony Z, and her unannounced plan to capture her pet Preventer. 

Where science was concerned, her comrades were just as morally compromised as she was, but when faced with carrying out her "tests" on a living, breathing, human subject, one could say, she was on her own. 

Her assistant, Wendt had taken care of much of the details, and she found herself teasing him on occasion, telling him that she was the devil, come to take him to hell. At times, though, examining his blind faith in her had led her to that very conclusion. He was above all, faithful to her visiona vision which would eliminate the Preventers, the delegation, the need to create conflict, and finally the false pacifism that had been fed to the world. How that was achieved was of little consequence to him.

"Dr. Selleste?"

Wendt's voice drew her from her thoughts, and she turned from the window to meet his gaze.

"How are the tests coming?" She asked, determinedly.

"We've begun Phase 2, but he is still resisting the treatments. The others are beginning to get nervous"

"Let them." She seethed, viciously. "The boy is strong. He wouldn't be a Preventer is he wasn't. But, he can't hold out forever. Sooner or later, he'll breakrest assured of that, Telphan. I'll take great pleasure in breaking this one."

END

Well, that's it for Episode 3. Hope you liked it! Hope you review it! Cause I really want to know if anyone out there still wants to know what the hell it is I'm doing? If I don't get struck down with a lethal case of Writer's Block, the next one should be up soon! Until then!


	5. Episode 4: Starlit Destiny

Disclaimer: No, _I_ don't own them. I thought _you_ owned them. Well, if _you_ don't own themOh, yeah, now I remember, it's those people at Sunrise, Sotsu, Bandai, andwell, anyone else I may have left out. _THEY_ own them. Sorry, I just like to borrow them for my own sadistic torturing purposes, so don't sue me-get me psychiatric help instead!

Author's Note: Just my usual thank you going out to anyone who is still reading and reviewing my fics! Especially Stella-thanks for the torture talks, they're always a boost for me! Hope this doesn't get too dark for you, because Heero is going to be on the receiving end of some pretty intense physical and psychological abuse. I like Heero, really I do, and in my own sick little way, this is just how I express it. But I don't mean to offend or upset anyone, so if you're not into this sort of thing, I apologize, but it's probably best you don't read this. Also, I didn't get my usual number of reviews on the last chapter, (with this new chaptering system, I'm not sure how anyone is supposed to know which chapters are new) so for those of you who missed it, Episode 3 was posted already, please go back and check it out first, k? Thanks again and enjoy!

War's Restitution by Luvspook

Episode 4: Starlit Destiny

He stirred himself awake to the deafening silence, as time itself seemed to hold its breath, lying in anxious wait for his return to consciousness.

He was lost

The darkness melted away beneath the harsh glare of the fluorescent overhead lights, and he blinked several times, struggling to bring his surroundings into focus.

The room was vacant, save for him, the white walls stretching endlessly overhead and surrounding him on all sides. At the far end of the room, a heavy steel door, with a small bolted window, blocked his escape. 

Forcing himself upright, he fought off the offending waves of nausea, and crawled the few remaining feet to the wall, sagging against it in the dire need for support.

The previous "session" had sapped his precious reserves, and for the first time in what must have been days, he had finally lapsed into unconsciousness.

His body achedeven more so than beforeand the dull throb in his abdomen was all the indication he needed to assume that they had not bothered to wait for him to regain consciousness to resume their "tests". Further evidence to entertain that thought caught his attention as he grazed the surface of a thin, folded gauze bandage on his forearm. He tore it away from his skin to find several deep, circular puncture wounds that made him shiver involuntarily. The skin surrounding the injection sites were bruised an unhealthy shade of purple, and several spidery red streaks spiraled away from each one. He could only imagine what these injections were doing to him internally. 

Exhaustion tingled through his tired limbs, as he struggled to remember how long it had been since the doctors had brought him here. And why?Had they ever given him their reason for subjecting him to these little "tests" of theirs? 

He couldn't remember, and he found that the harder he tried to grasp the answers, the further out of his reach they seemed to get. The more questions his mind posed, the more agitated he was becoming, and his agitation only served to worsen the pain. 

The drugs they had injected him with were making him sluggish, and coupled with the debilitating lack of decent sleep, he felt as though he were beginning to lose it completely. But he was sure that was what they wanted, so he forced himself to keep fighting it.

Looking back down at his arms, the only other sight to greet him was his own bruised and bloodied wrists; a symbol of the single victory he could claim. The wounds stood as proof of his unwillingness to cooperate, of his resistance to the injections and the scars they had left on both his mind and body, and gave him the strength he needed to keep fighting. 

Laying his head back against the wall, he let his eyes slip shut, admitting temporary defeat to the fleeting and intangible answers still teetering just beyond comprehension.

His last clear thought was spent wondering why they were keeping him alive.

As unconsciousness beckoned, like a long forgotten friend, he felt his sanity cry out with the one certainty that remained

He had to survive long enough to find a way out of this.

* * * * *

All eyes in the room turned to face her, as she made her way, slowly and gracefully, to the podium, still displaying the demeanor of one formerly addressed as a Queen. 

The occasional flash from a reporter's camera caught her eye as she took a deep, cleansing breath, pushing all apprehension from the surface of her mind.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, and dear members of the Earth Sphere Unified Nation. I have been asked to speak here today on behalf of the delegation here on Earth, regarding the recent tragedies in outer space. Perhaps the delegation feels that by speaking out to those who still cling to the fragile hopes for peace, that we might shed some light on these events. But no words, no matter how eloquently spoken, can disguise the treacherous deeds that I have seen in the past several days. The ever-present threat of war, and the power struggles that claim innocent lives as victims, can never truly be explained and must never be viewed as acceptable. No reason that I can offer will ever ease the souls who suffered, unknowingly. No kind words can relieve the grief of their loved ones, and those left orphaned by their loss. I stand before you today, ashamed of the feeble comfort my words can provide, hoping that in those words, you can find peace within yourselves. It is my sincere hope that someday, we will be able to lay petty differences and prejudices aside, so that we may all share a world where no one has to be afraid. Where meaningless battles no longer claim human lives, and where meaningless actions no longer bring suffering and pain. Hasn't the world suffered enough of these battles? Hasn't conflict tested our strength more times than will ever be necessary? I ask all of you, where will you draw the line that marks your indifferences? And would you change where you draw those lines, when it is your loved ones on the other side?When it is your loved ones who suffer? Are your differences a good enough reason to destroy the peace the world has struggled so hard to maintain? Or is it that you have just never tried to find an alternative to fighting? The world watches today, hoping for that alternative. It waits for you to decide when we have all suffered enough, asking you to let the problems of the past die, so that we might all live in todayin a world where we can be at peace. Thank you."

The platform erupted with applause as Relena turned and abruptly left the stage, ignoring the flood of reporters struggling to get their questions asked.

"Vice Foreign Minister Darlianare the Preventers still in charge of the investigation?"

"Are there any leads as to who might have done this?"

"Has it been confirmed yet as to how many died in the incident on Colony Z?"

"What does the Earth Sphere intend to do about the incident?"

"Does the Earth Sphere intend to retaliateVice Minister Darlian?"

She could hear the voices, but it was nothing more than a monotonous droning in her ears. Her heart and soul was consumed with thoughts of him, of where he was, and if he was safe. Wondering if he had finally earned his peace.

As she climbed into the back seat of her limousine, her mind drifted, as it had so many countless times before, and Pargan drove her back to the Peacecraft mansion.

_I hope that wherever you are, Heero, you've found the peace you couldn't find here. But, if you are aliveplease find a way to come back to me_

He was just about to ask her how the assembly went when he caught sight of her reflection in the rearview mirror, and was silenced by the tears glistening in her sapphire eyes.

* * * * *

***Two days later***

"Windthis is FireYou didn't fall asleep out there, did you?" Noin said, jokingly, not surprised when she didn't receive a reply.

Morale had been down in Preventer Group ever since the incident, which just seemed too surreal to have really happened. The pilots still had not recovered from Heero's disappearance, yet had been both unable and unwilling to rule out the possibility that he could still be alive.

Searches over the course of the last week had turned up nothing unusual, and all trace of those responsible for the toxin and its subsequent release on Colony Z, had vanished. All they could do was wait

_Wait for another colony to be wiped out, while we float around out here in outer space looking for a needle in a haystack_ Noin thought to herself, with a heavy heart.

"FireThis is Wind. Are you on a secure frequency?" 

"Yeah, Zechs, go ahead." Noin replied, sensing the faintest hint of urgency in her fiancee's voice. "Did you find something?"

He didn't answer right away, wanting to be sure that he was certain so as not to alert her unnecessarily. They had all had enough false alarms in the past several days.

"I'm picking something up on radar." He finally answered, as he magnified the image before him on viewscreen.

The object looked like an old space pod from the Alliance days. The outer hull was breached toward the base of the pod where the main thrusters were located, and the rest of its surface bore the marks of what appeared to be fresh battle. Just looking at it set his entire body on edge. 

"What is it, Zechs?Zechs!"

"It's a space pod" He stated, softly, not liking the cadence of panic in her voice.

"A space pod? Out here?" Noin retorted, feeling no more at ease than she had felt at not knowing at all. "Why would it be out here?"

"That's what I aim to find out, Noin." 

"Be careful, Zechs, I've got a bad feeling about this one. It could be a trap."

He could sense her definite dislike of the situation, but something was nagging at the back of his mindsomething he couldn't ignore.

Scanning the pod's diagnostics, he found all drive functions and guidance systems to be off-line, and the life support systems failing.

"Attention unidentified space podThis is Preventer Wind calling. Please identify yourself..."

He clicked to several different frequencies, but received no response.

Keeping a watchful eye on the drifting pod, he hailed again.

"Your space pod has suffered irreparable damage, and life support systems are flatlining. Are you in need of assistance?"

Again, nothing.

"Noin, I'm going over there."

"You're what!" Noin screamed, momentarily panic-stricken. "No way, Zechs, they could have set this up instead of a shipping container, figuring we wouldn't suspect anything. Let's just haul it back to Headquarters."

"The capsule would never survive re-entry in the Earth's atmosphere"

"Then we can haul it to one of the nearby colonies and inspect it once we port." Noin argued.

"Noin, I know you're concernedbut you're not thinking this through clearly. If it does have any sign of the toxin on board, we couldn't possibly risk bringing it to the colonies, we would be endangering countless lives."

"But, Zechs"

"I'll be fine, Noin." Zechs assured her, his icy blue eyes finding hers as soon as her image appeared on his viewscreen. 

"Please, be careful." She whispered, caressing the cold monitor as though she could reach through to where he was and touch him, if only for a moment.

Before she could release the breath she was holding, he was gone

The air inside the pod was stale and thick as Zechs made his way through the tiny compartments, searching for any signs of life. His body felt tense, like a trap about to spring, and he could feel the sweat breaking out across his body, beneath the protective cover of his flight suit. His breathing sounded ragged inside the helmet, and he forced himself to calm it, as he moved toward the forward part of the pod.

Luckily, the inside of the pod had suffered only minor damage, and he had little trouble navigating through the debris toward the cockpit. The light emanating from the control panel cast an eerie glow throughout the small, silent room, and he could feel his chest growing tight as he noticed the back of a humanoid figure slumped in the pilot's seat.

He couldn't bring himself to move or speak, as he stared at the figure, unsure of what to do.

The body remained unmoving, it's head lolled forward as if unable to support the weight of the helmet it wore. It's left arm hung loosely over the side of the chair, the other laid across it's lap, having previously been wrapped around it's own waist. 

It didn't take long for Zechs to find the reason why, as he spotted the swelling stains of blood soaking through the person's flight suit.

Convinced that the pilot, if still alive, was now in dire need of medical attention, he quickly moved to the figure's side, hoping to find some sign of life.

He wasn't prepared for the sight that greeted him as he pushed the pilot to what he assumed would be a more comfortable and upright position, bringing the boy's unmistakable face into view.

"Heero Yuy" 

END

Okay, I know! I know! Please don't hate me. It's just that I have been dying to get to this part of the story, I just couldn't wait anymore! Now the real fun begins. Lots more Heero torture and angst coming upRemember there were two days that I left out there. Let's just say, Heero may be back physically, but who knows what he's been through while he was missing. Just food for thought! Be seeing you next time! 


	6. Episode 5: Tears for the Fallen

Disclaimer: I don't own them. I never didand I never will. Sad but true, there comes a time when I will learn to accept it. But until then, I've got torturing to do! Hahahahahahaha!

Author's Note: Well, I see my last posting got a few people's attention. My apologies about the cliffhanger, but I assure you, I didn't mean to upset you all. Oddly enough, though, it was just the boost I needed to keep the ball rolling, and I sat down and worked on this bad boy all night on Wednesday! Hope you like it, cuz there's more where that came from! And thanks for all the great reviews!

War's Restitution by Luvspook

Episode 5: Tears for the Fallen

The transmission had replayed a thousand times over inside her head, the most genuine of smiles playing across her lips. It had been far too long since they had found anything to be happy about, and now, their one shining beacon of hope had returned.

Noin's words echoed in her ears once more, lifting the burden of guilt from her shoulders.

_He's alive, SallyWe found him _

* * * * *

"Have the doctors said anything yet?" Noin asked, returning to the small observation window where Zechs was standing, his thoughts obviously preoccupied by the flurry of interns hovering just on the other side of the glass.

She followed his gaze, surprised by the evident concern peeking through her fiancee's typically cold and unreadable features.

"Sally is on her way." Noin whispered, her eyes falling on Heero's unconscious form, and the seemingly choreographed movements of the doctors tending to him. 

He looked frightening pale beneath the blinding artificial lights, his face bearing the marks of both his fatigue and the cruel physical punishment he had been forced to endure. Fresh bandages encompassed both wrists, but couldn't fully conceal the dark, angry bruises and mild lacerations that marred the surface of his skin. 

Frustration and helplessness began to swell to an intolerable level as she remembered the unmistakable wounds she had discovered on the shuttle ride to the colony, and of the implications it left in her mind. 

The unknown objects that had at one time bound his wrists had left evidence of a desperate struggle, drawing further concern to the collection of deep puncture wounds lining the vein in his forearm. 

Luckily, she had been able to force that issue from her mind in light of the more pressing need to prevent him from bleeding to death. 

Freeing his upper body from the thin, fitted flight suit had been a nearly impossible task in his unconscious state, but she had had little choice. Her eyes had found the jagged, grisly wounds in his side immediately, and she had been forced to steady herself against the surge of fresh blood gumming his forest green tank top to his side.

She trembled visibly as the memory left her, and quickly reset her focus to the here and now. 

She felt her vision blur considerably as one of the nurses fixed a second IV to Heero's right arm. Realizing that it was meant to assist in replacing his drastically reduced fluids, she placed a silent prayer of thanks on her lips that the blood loss had not been more severe and that a transfusion hadn't become necessary. 

"He's a survivor, NoinHe's not about to let this defeat him." She heard Zechs whisper softly, and became instantly aware of the tears that had escaped her eyes, previously unnoticed. 

Slightly ashamed, though she knew she had no reason to be, she wiped her hands over her face, mentally cursing her own weakness. She had always felt pity for the soldier forced to suffer unnecessarily, even back during her days at the Academy. 

Releasing a heavy sigh, she stepped away from the window, pacing a few feet in an attempt to distance herself from the unwanted emotions.

"I just hope Sally gets here soon." She said, honestly. "If Heero wakes up, it would be good for him to see a friendly face right now."

"When he wakes up, Noin." Zechs corrected, countering the defeat he sensed in her words. "He's managed through far worse before."

An awkward silence passed between them, broken not a moment too soon as the door to the small observation room opened, and one of the doctors overseeing Heero's treatment stepped through it.

"We have him stabilized for the time being, but his system has suffered considerably. We've tended to his physical wounds, but between dehydration and exhaustion, it might be days before he regains consciousness. The injuries he sustained only serve to slow his recovery, but I see no reason to think that he won't make a complete recovery when the time comes."

The doctor had just finished speaking as Sally Po entered from the door on the opposite side of the room.

Noin shared a quick exchange with her before her eyes filled with happy tears. "Good news"

* * * * *

She could feel her rage rising to an angry boil in her veins, and she swung her arm out viciously, connecting with the young boy's face with an audible crack.

"How could you have been so foolish!" She screamed, hysterically, at the cowering figure now sprawled across the floor. "Who gave you the authority to act on your own?!"

"I-I'm sorry, Dr. Selleste" The boy stammered, fearfully, his eyes fixed on the floor in front of him. "I justwith all the injections, I thoughtI mean he was just lying there. I thought maybe something was wrong."

"And what did you plan to do, exactly? He was a standing symbol of those we aim to destroy, and a party to the very force that threatens and controls the peace of the colonies and Earth Sphere. His death would have been of no consequence. Remember that, boy!" She seethed.

"What do we do now, Cairn?" Dr. Wendt asked, calmly, stepping up to her side, like a faithful pet.

"How far were you into the injections?" She inquired, stalking across the room to find the most recent of his test results.

"The past two days he was displaying some very erratic and unexpected responses and behavioral patterns. The inhibitors were beginning to effect him, but there is no telling what will happen if the injections are no longer given at the usual intervals."

"How long before his memory returns fully?" Selleste asked, quickly, knowing exactly where her assistant's train of thought was heading. 

"There's no telling, but I would say we have 48 hours, at max." 

Dr. Arend was the next to speak, his pompous voice working her last nerve. 

"I knew that listening to you would be the downfall of us all. Your plan failed, Selleste."

"Let's not panic" Dr. Jerard interrupted. "Cairn, I thought you said security fired on the pod, and destroyed it."

"We have no confirmation that the pod was destroyed." Wendt stated, quietly. "We only know that it was hit."

"But if that boy survived, then we have a big problem on our hands." The fifth scientist, Dr. Bertrem, finished with his own note of concern.

"I will take care of it." Selleste stated, icily, her words barely above a whisper. There was intention behind her words, and Wendt found himself succumbing to the violent shiver that coursed through him as he pondered what she could have meant.

* * * * *

Sally Po grabbed Heero's charts before turning to her "patient". She was thankful for the opportunity to be looking over his care personally, after spending the last hour discussing the need for familiarity in his treatment, with the doctor.

Noin had been a huge contributing factor in persuading the doctor that it was best for his protection to have a fellow Preventer, as well as someone with her extensive medical background, stationed inside his room. 

In the end, persistence had prevailed.

She crossed the room, looking over the doctor's initial report, as she made her way to his side. 

She didn't find much of the report surprising, picking up on the majority of his symptoms through simple observation. 

But it was the ones that showed no outward signs that concerned her now. 

Turning his head gently, she found the faint traces of dried blood and corresponding wound responsible for the mild concussion he had sustained, and noticed that he felt unusually warm to the touch.

Her first thought turned to infection, so she focused her attention to the wounds at his side, not noticing as his eyelids fluttered half-heartedly.

He could hear the sounds of feet shuffling somewhere in the distance, but the hum of lights was deterring him from tracing the source, as he fought to pull himself out of the darkness. He tried to move, but found his body uncooperative, so he focused on the small task of opening his eyes, instead.

Pain flared in his side as he felt icy fingertips probing the cuts he had received trying to

Realization struck him with intense clarity.

He had tried to escape. But sensing the unforgiving white lights encompassing him, he knew where he was; and as survival instinct kicked in, the adrenaline surged, preparing to fight back.

Sally had no time to react as within a matter of seconds, Heero's eyes flew open, and he jumped from the operating table, nearly knocking her to the floor in the process. The tray of instruments tipped to the ground with a crash, and before she could get her bearings, she felt his arm wrap around her shoulders, effectively pinning her body against his, like a shield. She was just about to speak when she felt something sharp prick the surface of her neck, and felt his breath against her ear as he spoke.

"Who are you!?" He rasped, threateningly, punctuating his question with increased pressure to her throat.

Sally was still trying to process what had just happened, when the door to the small room flew open so hard that it crashed against the wall, before swinging back into place. 

Noin was breathing hard, obviously concerned by the sounds of the disturbance he had caused.

"Sally!" She screamed, worriedly, as she noticed the strange and unfamiliar intensity in Heero's eyes.

There was something there that she had never seen before. Something that was only emphasized by the knowledge that Heero did not seem to recognize her at all.

He was afraid

"Heero" Noin said, trying to remain calm, while doing her best to appear unthreatening. She knew that she was playing a dangerous game, especially with Sally's safety at stake, but somewhere deep inside her, she believed that he wouldn't hurt her. "It's okay, Heero. You're safe nowand no one is going to hurt you. We're here to help."

His vision was becoming decided faded, the colors dulling before his eyes, as pain flooded through his senses. He could feel blood soaking into the bandages at his side, as well as the thin rivulets cascading down the length of his arm from where he had ripped free of the IV. But, in light of the present odds, two against one and himself being injured, he didn't dare risk looking away from the stranger across the room.

She was talking to him, but the words seemed to evade him as the ringing in his ears grew, accompanied by his own torn and ragged breathing. His strength was dwindling, and he felt all the fight leaving him, but the adrenaline would not allow him to rest.

"What do you want from me?" He asked, the small question stealing his breath, and leaving him virtually shaking in the effort to remain on his feet.

Surprisingly, he saw the woman's eyes soften beneath her midnight blue locks, and a faint tear glistened in their depth.

"We want to help you, Heero." Was the only response she could utter, his body seeming to relax visibly.

Sally felt his grasp loosen and breathed her relief as the metallic scissors used to cut his sutures fell to the floor with a clatter.

She turned just in time to break his fall, as he pitched forward and collapsed into her arms.

END

I'm sorry! I know I am evil, making you all wait with another cliffhanger, but it's just the way I envision things, and don't worryif I get a lot of responses again, I'll probably have the next one up in a hurry! You know me and tortureLove it, Love it, LOVE IT!!!


	7. Episode 6: Shattered Existence

Disclaimer: I don't own them! _Don't_ remind me!

Author's Note: Well, since you're all dying to know, "Just what did those doctors do to Heero, anyway?", I've decided to tell youNo, I'm not just going to blurt it out. Come on, that wouldn't be any fun. One piece of the puzzle at a time, but basically a lot of the next few chapters will deal with Heero's experience as he remembers things. Now keep in mind, he's been pumped full of all kinds of nasty drugs, and really high fevers make one extremely susceptible to delusions, confusion, and disorientation, so just try to bear with meand use your imaginations. I know you've got one, otherwise you wouldn't be here! The italicized portions in these next few episodes will be either memories/ flashbacksor fever-induced hallucinations (hehehe!) you decide! 

And to Stella, one of my greatest sources of inspiration, I hope you enjoy this as much as I did writing it!

War's Restitution by Luvspook

Episode 6: Shattered Existence

_His surroundings swirled in and out of focus, his head still swimming frantically against the beckoning darkness of unwilled sedation. _

_Voices touched his ears, but his mouth couldn't force a response to their words, as flashes of faceless men in white lab coats circled his prone form like vultures, waiting for death to come and do their dirty work. _

_"Initial injection administered at 0600 hours" He heard one of the voices say._

_His arm tensed against the sudden sting of a needle piercing his flesh, the mysterious substance sweeping through his veins like fire. _

_Furiously testing the strength of his bonds, he tugged at the thick leather straps around his wrists and ankles, longing to feel the pain as a measure of reassurance that he was still alive._

_Searing heat coursed through him and his entire body succumbed to the full effects of the injection, assaulting him with stabs of pain. The silent echo of his forbidden screams threatened from the darkness, as he expended his remaining strength in a final attempt to twist free of the restraints._

_Words floated to his ears, as he tried to drag himself from the fire, feeling his world fade away beneath the painful white lights._

_"The first injection is always the worst. You should save your strength for what is yet to come. This is just the beginning"_

Sally fought desperately against the impending weariness threatening her mind and body.

The last several hours had marked a rapid decline in Heero's condition, earning him a place on the critical care list, under round-the-clock monitoring. His fever had spiked immediately after his collapse, and Sally had done her best to effectively repatch his wounds, and re-establish a central line to keep his body hydrated. 

His sudden return to consciousness, and the outburst that had followed, had put the staff in a precarious position with the administrative higher-ups, and they had been forced to restrain Heero to ensure their safety, as well as his own.

Once she had seen him safely into his own room, she had humored the doctor by allowing him to examine the slight wound on her neck, while she anxiously awaited the results of the toxicology report. As soon as word came down, she had returned to Heero's side, determined to find the catalyst to his current state.

Her mental resolve had crumbled the moment she entered his room, with the toxicology report in hand. Staring at the results, she had felt her heart sink to the pit of her stomach. She had been studying the toxin for the past week and a half, and as it stared back at her now, she knew there was nothing more she could do

* * * * *

Relena leapt from the tiny, nondescript taxicab as soon as it had pulled to a stop, turning to thrust a handful of bills into the driver's hand, before weaving her way through the scattered crowd, toward the front doors.

Her journey had taken its emotional toll, forcing a wide spectrum of possibilities to light, in regards to what condition Heero would be in when she finally reached her destination.

Now she was here, a mere question away from seeing him again, and she mentally assured herself that no matter what condition he was in, at least he was alive.

_Anything else, I can deal with_ She convinced herself, as she approached the admit desk.

"Heero Yuy's room, please" 

* * * * *

"Preventer or not, that boy is still under my care so long as he remains in this facility. You have no rights to deny or approve treatments based on what you feel is in his best interest, right now." 

Relena could hear arguing in the corridor as she stepped off the elevator, the words falling on her ears as she headed off in the direction of Heero's room.

She knew immediately that something was wrong.

"Listen, I am telling you that whatever it is that we're dealing with here is highly unstable. If you go in there and start pushing more chemicals into his bloodstream you will be compromising the only chances he may have left." Sally yelled, firmly planting herself in front of the door to Heero's room. 

"We have to regulate his body temperature now! There is no telling what will happen if we don't" The doctor argued, forcefully.

"And there is no telling what will happen if we do!" Sally retorted, fearfully. "All I am saying is that we should expend the most conventional treatment options, firstuntil we have no other choice."

"You would have that boy continue to suffer. For God's sake, he is in painand the fact that you are asking me to _willingly_ allow it to continue, _knowing_ that I have the means to prevent it, is simply unethical." The doctor replied, in disgust.

"If it means saving his life, than yes, that's what I would ask you to do." Sally answered, honestly, her own mental pains clearly visible in the depth of her powder blue eyes. 

"What's happened?" Relena's voice cut through the tension in the hallway like a knife through butter, both Sally and the young doctor, eyeing her, regretfully.

"Relena" Sally began, staring at the other doctor, not sure of where to begin. "Some things have happened hereThere's been some trouble."

"What kind of trouble?" Relena asked, urgently, feeling the unsettling fear seize her heart like a vice. She could see the fear reflected in Sally's eyes as well, accompanied by uncertainty, and then defeat. "Is Heero okay? Would someone please tell me what's going on?"

The scene was becoming a blur and she could hear each heartbeat pounding inside her chest as though it was about to explode. Fearing the worst, she bolted unexpectedly toward the door, pushing her way inside Heero's room before Sally could stop her.

"Miss Relena!" Noin exclaimed, obviously startled by the young woman's sudden entrance. 

She didn't respond.

She couldn't

It took every ounce of strength to simply remain standing, as her eyes settled on the ghostly pale figure tossing fitfully on the bed in front of her.

His eyes were closed, his body trembling violently, haunted by fever-ridden dreams that he was too weak to escape from.

Her heart twisted perilously inside her chest as she rushed to his side, her fingers falling just shy of his flushed and far too pale skin.

She didn't need to touch him, she could feel the intense heat escaping his body, and could tell by the thin sheen of sweat glistening across the surface of his skin, that something, was indeed, frighteningly wrong.

Her eyes trailed down the length of his body, taking note of the number of bruises, bandages, and abrasions, and feeling her anger swell as she caught sight of the blood soaked bandages around his wrists.

"Why did you let them restrain him like this? They're hurting him!" Relena cried, tugging furiously at the straps. 

"Stop it! Relena!" Noin screamed, wrenching the nearly hysterical girl away from the restraints, in an effort to calm her. 

"No!" Relena argued, tears streaming down her cheeks. "I won't let them hurt himI won'tlet them"

Her argument turned to a hollow and defeated sobbing inside her own ears, and her lungs convulsed with each breath that left her body.

"Relenathe restraints are for his own protection. No one wants to hurt Heerobut if he regains consciousness again, we can't be sure of what he'll do."

"What he'll doWhat do you mean? What's happened?" Relena asked, composing herself in light of the missing facts.

Alternating her questioning glares between Noin and Sally, it was obvious that whatever had happened, neither woman had the desire to fill her in. It was Sally who finally spoke.

"There is a strong possibility that Heero may not remember any of usThat he may not remember anything at all"

END

I know, but come on, it's getting too longand I had to stop somewhere, right? No, you say! No more cliffhangers, you say! Tar and feathers, you say! Okay! Okay! I'll make a deal with you. You keep reading and reviewing, and I'll keep writingmaybe I'll even be good and let Heero wake up in the next chapter... What do you say? 


	8. Episode 7: Whispers of a Dream

Disclaimer: Well, la-dee-daso what if I don't own Gundam Wing, the G-boys, or some huge moneymaker of a Corporation. I can still have fun, can't I? And what could be more fun than a little Heero torture with a little touch of angst!

Author's Note: Since a lot of you missed my last posting, I feel the need to warn youDon't proceed until you've read the previous chapter. You missed some stuff that you may need for later chapters. (Plus Relena showed up in that one, and first impressions of the situation are always important!) As always, thank you, thank you, thank you for the great reviews. I cherish them all! Now on to the story! 

War's Restitution by Luvspook

Episode 7: Whispers of a Dream

She found herself struggling to voice a response, as the repercussions of Sally Po's words began to slowly process in her mind.

"WhatWhat do you meanmay notremember?" She stammered, the words catching in her suddenly dry throat.

The tears froze on her cheeks, and her stomach turned in dizzying circles, trying to figure out how any of this could have been possible. 

"He attacked Sally earlier today." Noin stated, reluctantly.

"But why?" Relena demanded, the turmoil in her heart and soul crying out with each word that touched her lips. "Heero would never"

"We don't think he had any idea of what he was doing." Sally reassured her. 

Those helpless and frightening moments returned to her mind as she stared at the disbelief shining in Relena's tear-filled expression.

"There's no way of telling exactly what it is he's been through in the past five days, or how long he may have been drifting in that pod" She continued, trying to find the reason that Relena was searching so desperately for. "There's really nothing more we can do so long as he's in this condition"

Sally's words were drifting away somehow, unable to penetrate the shield of invulnerability that Relena was forcing up around herself. Her eyes turned back to the broken figure in the hospital bed, at the monitors and the IV's, at the number of bruises that covered the better portion of what she could see of his body.

Her words, spoken only in the silence of her own mind, came back to haunt her now, as her eyes came to rest on his face.

_Anything else, I can deal withHow can I even begin to deal with this?_

Her thoughts were quickly shattered as Heero's breathing turned suddenly erratic, the EEG displaying each escalating beat of his heart, as his body writhed in obvious pain.

"Heero! What's happening?!" Relena cried out, worriedly, her complexion blanching until she was nearly as pale as he was.

His body was shaking visibly, his head tossing from side to side, as though trying to escape the visions threatening his much needed rest. 

Relena couldn't begin to imagine what those visions might be as she moved to brush the disheveled locks away from his face, stopped cold when his head jerked away from her touch as though she had slapped him. 

Each labored breath that escaped his body stabbed at her soul like daggers, and the tears returned to her eyes as she watched the scene unravel.

The pain spilled over him in waves. Shocking in their force one minute, receding slightly the next, then inevitably returning with the passage of each shallow breath that he earned.

Words echoed in his subconscious, though he couldn't trace their exact source. 

_He couldn't see past the blinding light as his eyes were wrenched open, the voices blurring together in a swell of fear._

_"We should see results within the next 16 hours. The residual effects should subside by then as well."_

_"The optic nerves will be highly susceptible, but too much exposure and there could be permanent damage."_

_He could feel thick, viscous fluid pooling over his retinas, and fought desperately to close his eyes, to wipe the burning substance from them, but to no avail. The hands held him firmly in place, struggling to prevent him from tearing free of the restraints as they repeated the procedure a second time._

_He felt himself weaken against the strong hands forcing him down, holding him still as his world began to fade away._

_The whisper of breath against his cheek was all he could feel as he committed the words that stung his ears to memory._

_"By tomorrow, you'll remember nothing"_

An audible gasp escaped his lips as he twisted against the heavy straps, tearing fresh wounds in the already raw tissue of his wrists, in the struggle for release. 

Thick beads of sweat broke on his forehead as he fought the images inside his mind, and within minutes, he had slumped back against the pillows, completely exhausted.

Relena could feel her heart break at the sight of him looking so vulnerable; feeling every ounce of the unguarded emotion that was displayed, far too openly, in his taut features. 

His jaw was set like chiseled marble, his teeth clenched together, and his eyes were pinched shut so tightly that the lashes were wet with tears. 

"It's okay nowYou'll be all right" She whispered, caressing his cheek with the back of her hand. She knew it was a futile and useless gesture, but a small smile came to her lips as she watched him visibly relax at the words. "You're safe now, Heero."

* * * * *

Almost twenty-four hours had passed since Heero had been found, and Sally was still flying blind. 

Frequent alcohol baths and the fortunate one-time experience of having to ice him down, had been enough to keep Heero's temperature from increasing, but his periods of wakefulness were marked by definite pain, and spent in a nearly catatonic state.

The toxin still running its course through his bloodstream was making it increasingly difficult to treat his symptoms, the least of which was his memory loss. 

Sally rubbed her hands across her face, attempting to wipe away her haggard appearance, before sparing a moment to check up on her patient.

Relena had fallen asleep in the cushioned chair beside Heero's bed, her knees drawn up against her chest, her arms draped over the top of them to serve as a pillow for her head. 

Sally placed a blanket around the girl before stepping over to check Heero's vitals, and was surprised when his prussian blue eyes rolled over in her direction.

His eyes were glazed over from fever, but he seemed determined to keep them open, much to Sally's surprise. 

"How are you feeling? I wasn't expecting you to wake up for awhile, yet." Sally whispered, searching his face for even the faintest sign of recognition. "Do you remember where"

"How did I get here?" He asked, quietly, his voice sounding raw and weak to her ears.

But she didn't care. All of her previous attempts to get him to speak had been completely unsuccessful, so the small question brought a definite smile to her face, as she stammered a shaky response. 

"You were found in a small space pod near Colony G. You've been here ever since. What's the last thing you remember?" 

His face took on a somewhat lost expression as he struggled to put the pieces back together, but the only image that came to mind was of a young woman, with cascades of honey-blonde hair and deep sapphire eyes.

"An angel" He replied, weakly, before his eyes slipped shut, and the monotonous beeping of the machines lulled him back to unconsciousness.

END

I know, kind of a weird place to stop, but at least I didn't leave it where he stopped breathing or something. Not even I could be that cruel. So, all else aside, let me know what you think. I'll be working on the next one this weekend, hopefully. Until then, I'll be seeing ya! 

  



	9. Episode 8: Pieces of the Past

Disclaimer: You guessed it! What are you psychic or something? No, sad but true, I am not affiliated with Bandai, Sotsu, Sunrise, or any other companies or corporations that own Gundam Wing. I am just a fan who has a creative interest in inflicting pain on a certain Perfect Soldier. So, please don't sue meI'm already penniless!

Author's Note: Woo-hoo! What a wild ride, huh? But I see a lot of you are still sticking aroundI can see the torches and pitchforks from hereand is that a noose in your hands?Wait, if you kill me now, you won't be able to see how I wrap everything together. I'll try to be good, but I can't promise you that there won't be any more cliffhangers. I'm telling you, there are evil forces working through methey're the ones who keep doing that to youIT'S NOT ME!!!!I swear it!

For those of you just tuning in, don't start hereor you will be totally confused. For those of you who have been reading and reviewing on a regular basis, my most sincere thanks! I do it all for you-so please keep those responses coming! And remember, the large sections of italicized print are either dreams or memories, whichever you prefer to think of them as!

And, just one more thingA special thank you going out to Stella for all of her patience in putting up with my whining and annoying questions! I hope you like what I did with it!

War's Restitution by Luvspook

Episode 8: Pieces of the Past

_The voices stabbed at him relentlessly, obliterating all but the panic_

_The screaming inside his mind ceased with a second injection, and the pain began to slowly fade away, as his eyelids strained against the growing weight of his own exhaustion._

_"WhaWhat are you?" He was struggling, his lips failing to form the words that his mind could no longer keep from asking._

_His eyes felt the sting of solution still sweeping over them, mingling with the unwanted tears that were burning deep trails down the sides of his face._

_The light was all around him, fracturing each coherent thought before it had the opportunity to solidify in his mind, and all he wanted was to escape from it. Even through closed lids, he could sense its terrifying and maddening presence, encompassing him, holding him stillexactly where they wanted him._

_Every inch of him felt numb; his limbs awkward and heavy, and his body no longer his to command._

_The voices became like a muffled distortion inside his ears, each word slurring into the next in a predictably indecipherable pattern._

_He could feel hands fidgeting roughly with the thick leather bands around his wrists and ankles, but didn't dare open his eyes, in fear of the light and the pain it inflicted._

_Before he knew what was happening, his world tilted crazily, and the hands pulled him sharply to his feet. Had it not been for the two figures on either side of him, he was quite positive that he would have hit the floor immediately after, but somehow, they managed to hold him upright. _

_He had little choice as the figures pulled him along, effortlessly dragging him to what he could only hope would be someplace away from the needlesaway from those voicesaway from that light._

_The light_

_The words seeped slowly into his consciousness as he forced his eyes open, realizing with frightening clarity that he couldn't see._

_He blinked furiously, but the resonant tingling across his retinas was the only answer to his desperate efforts. A faint haze of shadows was all that greeted him as the sudden and overpowering panic gripped his entire body yet again. _

_I can'tWhat did they do to me?Something inside him screamed._

_The words floated in his memoryhovering like scrambled puzzle pieces inside his head. The voices had said something_

_What was it?_

_The injectionsNo, that_

_What was it?_

_MemoryWon't remember_

_Whatit?_

_Optic nerves_

_Oh, God!_

_Permanent damage_

_Without warning, the adrenaline surged. Momentarily pulling free of the guards, he pushed back a few feet, stumbling slightly, but refusing to go down, as his hands searched the air around him. The shadows shifted dizzily as he brought his hands to his face, scrubbing at the liquid that still coursed from his eyes. _

_He could hear the voices, raised in anger. _

_He didn't need to hear the words to recognize their tone._

_He had to runEscape somehow_

_That single thought left all others behind._

_But he couldn'tEverything was uncertain now, and he spun around, expecting to find something definitive or distinguishable, but found only the same dull, gray fog that brought fear to his other working senses._

_Fear_

_He was afraid_

_And for quite possibly the first time in his lifehe was powerless_

He awoke to the stillness of the room, the air thick with the stale purity of oxygen.

The other noise that assaulted his ears was hard to identify, but as he fought to rid himself of the nightmare, he realized it was his own anguished and ineffective gasps for air that had caught his attention.

His eyes scanned the room, savoring the fact that he could see, despite the dull choice of colors that surrounded him.

_Where am I?_ He wondered, silently, struggling to push himself upright.

The excruciating tug at his side caught him off-guard and he couldn't prevent the sharp hissing noise that spilled from his lips, in an answer to the pain. 

Although, his efforts were considerably slower, he didn't allow it to stop him altogether. Too many questions plagued his mind, and the uneasiness of such foreign surroundings made it too unnerving to rest any longer.

_You can do this_ He assured himself, swinging his legs to the side of the bed, and sucking in several deep breaths as his bare feet made contact with the icy texture of the floor. 

With a swift and calculated motion, he pulled the large bore needle of the IV from his forearm, and rose unsteadily to his feet. His vision blurred as he inched his way closer to the far end of the bed, feeling several cold beads of sweat trickle down the side of his face as he did so.

_You have to do this _His mind insisted, as nothing shy of strict determination fueled his measured steps to the door.

He could feel the pressure in his lungs increase, and clamped his eyes shut as everything began to spin around him. He forced himself to stop, concentrating all of his efforts on the not-so-simple task of just breathing, knowing that if he didn't stop, he would more than likely faint away.

His body took the reigns as all logic abandoned him.

_Damnit! You're in trouble, you idiot! Get back in the bed before you end up killing yourself!_

His mind and body continued to wage their private little war as he steadied himself against the raised handrail at the foot of the bed. In the end, though, it was self-preservation that claimed victory, as he prepared himself for the first experimental step to the door, without the proverbial safety net of his hospital bed.

She wasn't expecting to find anything out of the ordinary.

Wasn't expecting Heero to be awake, let alone out of bed.

The small paper cup full of hot chocolate fell from her grasp, tumbling to the linoleum tiles below, as her eyes drank in the sight of him, standing right in front of her.

Time ceased to exist as the shock settled in her mind, and a momentary flood of emotion churned somewhere deep in the pit of her stomach. 

He was oblivious to her presence, oblivious to all but his own silent effort to reach the door. But something in the way he carried himself, in the way his body trembled at the tiniest of movements, in the way each agonizing breath escaped his body. Everything about him cried out to her that something was very, very wrong.

Her heart constricted painfully as she saw him manage two small steps before his strength abandoned him.

"Heero!" She screamed, as her body reacted in just enough time to prevent him from collapsing. 

She found her arms lacing themselves around his midsection, and used the strength of her own body to steady him, as she guided him back to the edge of the bed so he could sit down.

His skin still felt like fire when she made contact, but she resisted the urge to pull away as his entire body was wracked by a sudden fit of coughing. His face was sheet white and she carefully scrutinized every inch of him, despite the terrible things it was doing to her heart. 

Somehow his cobalt blue eyes found hers, through the mass of tangled brown locks, and for a moment, the pain stopped. 

Their eyes met as briefly as a vague flirtation, before she found the emotions too overpowering, and was forced to turn away.

"You shouldn't try to move" She whispered, as her concern got the better of her, and a small tear escaped her eye. "You might start bleeding again."

The words reached his ears, but were lost to him as he memorized the anguish displayed on her face, the tear that glistened on her cheek, and the sheer perfection of her beauty. 

_An angel_ His mind repeated, as he searched for the reason behind such sadness.

Without really knowing the reason why, he brought his hand up to meet her cheek, hesitating only slightly when he saw her sapphire eyes grow wide with surprise, before a new sadness overwhelmed them.

Brushing the stray tear from her cheek, his hand lingered for a moment, not wanting to relinquish the comfort such a small gesture could provide.

It felt right, somehow

Even familiar

Before he could speak, pain lanced through both temples, as a surge of images assaulted his mind, and the small gesture returned in his memory. 

_A young boy standing at the balcony, overlooking the large expanse of countryside below. An exchange of words that held with it a promise that would never be kept. A brief and fleeting moment when his hand brushed the pale surface of her cheek, catching the tear that had slipped from her eye. And a smile, more innocent and graceful than any he'd seen before, touched her lips. _

He could hear his angel crying that name. The name he couldn't place, but that somehow, also seemed all too familiar.

"Heero!"

The name echoed in his mind in a seemingly endless loop.

__

_Is that my name?_ He wondered, as the visions assaulted him once again. 

_His angel, calling to him, this time from a boata dockHe couldn't place it, but was sure she'd been calling to himasking him questions, though she knew he wouldn't answer._

_I want to know who you are!_

She had never felt so helpless. 

"Heero, speak to me!Please, tell me what's the matterHeero!"

She didn't know what to do. He was shaking so violently and just by the way he was clutching the sides of his head, it was obvious he was suffering. She felt her heart break as she could do nothing but stand by idly and watch.

_Can he even hear me?_ She wondered, silently, struggling to subdue her fears of leaving him to get help.

"I'm going to find you a doctor, Heero. You'll be okay!"

She was about to move for the door when strong fingers closed around her wrist, blindly searching for her and drawing her back.

_Is he trying to tell me not to go?_ She asked herself, while wordlessly pleading with him to tell her what to do. _I've got to get help, though!_

There was something pleading in his eyes as well, as they finally worked their way back to her, the pain slowly diminishing.

He could still hear her voice, always pleading, always searching, and always trying to save him from himself.

_Talk to me, Heero_

She had said that to him that day, and he found that the only response he had been able to manage then, still lingered in the back of his mind. 

He swallowed hard, attempting to force the remaining shakiness from his voice, along with the rest of his body, before lifting his face to meet hers. She was looking at him so tenderly that he almost lost his nerve, but found himself longing to see that smile that haunted him from the past he could scarcely remember.

His angel

"Relena" He whispered, causing her eyes to grow wide with shock, before blurring over with tears.

"DoDo youremember me, Heero?" She stammered, through several broken breaths, fighting the despair that had been her faithful companion since her arrival at this godforsaken hospital.

For the first time in the past 28 hours, she allowed herself to hope

* * * * * 

Duo Maxwell threw his hands into the air in a swift and exaggerated expression of frustration. Patience, having never been his strong suit, was once again wearing a bit too thin for his liking. 

"I still don't get what the big deal is. I mean, so what if Heero's memory is a little hazyI still think we should be up there." He yelled, drawing everyone's attention. 

Noin's last transmission had come in a few hours before, and despite her vague report of Heero's condition and mental state, the situation was grim enough without all the gruesome details.

"I know, Duo, but Sally is concerned that it might be too much for him to have all of us up there, right now." Quatre replied, softly. "Colony ST-1893 has some of the best resources in the colonies. I'm sure he's getting the best care possible. In his state, we can't afford to be the cause of any potential setbacks." 

"Besides" Wufei added. "until he _does _remember, we still don't know who's behind this. We shouldn't be letting our guard down."

"Wufei's right." Trowa agreed. "The best thing we can do for Heero right now is to keep our eyes open for any more of those containers. We have to assume that whoever created that toxin, would have also created something to counteract it."

"Yeah, even mad scientists aren't crazy enough to make something that they can't stop." Duo joined in, happy for the distraction that could free him from having to think about Heero any more.

"Maybe that's why Lady Une called us all back to Headquarters for this briefing." Quatre replied, hopefully. "Maybe they've got a new lead on the scientists."

"Well, if she doesn't, then it looks like I've come all the way back to Earth for nothing." A voice stated from the doorway.

The voice was unmistakable, soft, yet deadly, and all four pilots turned their attention to the platinum blond-haired pilot that had once been their enemy. 

"Zechs, how is Heero? When's he coming home?" Duo asked, anxiously. 

"I'm sure he'll be fine." The former OZ Lieutenant replied, his response cold and unusually detached.

Quatre could read through his expression, immediately, and could tell without a doubt, that Zechs was not being entirely honest with them.

"Noin and Sally are doing all they can, but the treatments are going to take time."

He felt a slight pang of remorse in telling them such a sugarcoated farce, but knew it would do no good to have them distracted.

_There is no further margin for error, now_ He told himself, rigidly.

As long as they stayed sharp out there on their patrols, none of them would end up in the same condition. If lying could help avoid having to relive the past week again, then he would learn to live with himself. 

"The important thing now, is that we all keep focused. Remember there are more lives at stake here, than just our own." Zechs added. 

In a small, private room down the hall, unbeknownst to anyone, Colton Reid smiled to himself.

"You don't know how right you are, Zechs. You don't know how right you are"

END

Well, another one bites the dust, huh? Hope you all enjoyed it, and sorry it took so long. I'm trying to get my art going, as well as spend a little time trying to get over the hump in Legacies. I'm really trying to work on that one, but Writer's Block is just so killer when I'm working on battle scenarios. Wish me luck and please leave a reviewgood or bad, k? Thanks! -Luvspook


	10. Episode 9: Final Countdown

Disclaimer: Here it isthe plain and simple, God's honest truth. I don't own Gundam Wing. I never did, I never will, and I can live with that! Just please don't sue me or prevent me from writing about this little dream world of mine. Because as long as I can write about it, I'M HAPPY!!!

Author's Note: I hope all this torment and torture isn't getting too tired for you all, because this story is far from over. Thank you all for sticking with it. Your reviews have been so wonderful and an overwhelming inspiration for me. Thanks!

I hope you all enjoy this, because I wasn't going to post this until I felt it was perfect. It was the single most difficult episode to write, so please let me know what you think! In addition, I apologize in advance for any potential Heero OOCiness! Enjoy.

War's Restitution by Luvspook

Episode 9: Final Countdown

The transmission she had been waiting for had come

Cairn Selleste examined the face on the view screen intently, before offering her response. His eyes held a glint of arrogance, as the words crept from his lips behind his evil, taunting smile. A smile that removed her own.

"You're absolutely sure it's him?" She questioned, cautiously, still trying to read Colton Reid's expression for any indication of a lie.

He smirked again, noticing the way her face seemed to light up at the very mention of the boy's name.

"Straight from the mouths of the former Gundam pilots themselves. Heero Yuy is alive. He survived, Selleste"

"And he's conscious?" Selleste asked, a bit worriedly, though masquerading it well.

"Don't worry." Colton replied, instantly. "Your little experiment seems to have worked well enough, because as it stands, it appears he doesn't remember anything. Although, I'm not thoroughly convinced it'll stay that way for long."

"The memory inhibitors will start to lose their effect sometime within the next 20-24 hours, see that you find him before then." She seethed. "Our entire operation is in jeopardy so long as that boy is alive."

"Understood." He replied, casually, before terminating the link.

Cairn Selleste settled back in her chair, silently reeling in thought.

_Colony ST-1893. It seems that even I underestimated your strength, 01. A mistake I will not make again_

* * * * *

As much as the very thought of it sickened her, Sally knew that drastic measures were becoming more necessary with each minute that passed. 

Her latest cursory examination had been more than enough to confirm those fears.

The telltale rattle residing in both lungs had become more pronounced throughout the course of the past several hours, the early stages of pneumonia beginning to set in. His output had noticeably decreased as his temperature threatened to breach what was considered, by most standards, the danger zone. She knew it was only a matter of time before his kidneys inevitably shut down from the burden of pumping so many fluids through his already compromised system.

The signs were unmistakable

The toxin had progressed to the next phase of attack, passing through the blood, to target the vital tissues and organs that virtually sustained life. Once it started, physiological shutdown would be damn near impossible to stop, and as much as she wished she didn't know that, she did with all the certainty in her heart.

"Relena, I know how difficult this must be for you, right now." Noin soothed, softly, as she and Sally tried their best to convince the young girl of the few options left to them. "But, we're crossing that threshold now, and the longer we wait, the less his chances are going to be."

Relena couldn't believe this was happening. Couldn't believe that fate could be so cruel.

"I don't believe you. He's getting betterAnd his memoryI don't believe you!" She argued, despite the fact that she knew it was only a mental defense to what her heart had already accepted.

She knew that they could see through her, see the doubt through her tears, but she didn't care. She couldn't bear the thought of what repercussions would follow, based on the decision they were asking her to make.

"Relena, his mind is recovering, but his body isn't withstanding the strainnot anymore. We've been fighting this as best as we can, but if we don't do this now, we lose." Sally replied, honestly. "Hemodialysis could work."

"He's not strong enough for that kind of procedure. You said it yourself." She stated, matter-of-factly, eyeing both Sally and Noin with all the stubbornness that her diplomatic position had earned her. 

"There is that possibility" Sally whispered, afraid to expose the fear in her voice should she speak any louder. 

"No!" Relena screamed, unwilling to listen to the words any longer. "You're willing to risk his life and you haven't even given him a chance, yet!"

She felt every ounce of strength pouring out of her, filling each tear that sprung from her eyes.

"He's come this far, and I won't give up on him!" She screamed. 

She had never felt more helpless, or more lost in her life.

Faced with the uncertainty that by doing something, she would be responsible for allowing a procedure that could weaken him to the point of death. And that by _not_ doing something, his body could eventually give out anyway.

_What kind of choice is that!_ She asked fate, bitterly. _Either way, I can't win_

She let out a half-hysterical sob as the cruel irony the situation hit her full force and she quickly ran from the room, in the overwhelming desire to distance herself from the truth.

"Relena, wait!" Noin cried, stopping short at Sally Po's touch.

"Just let her go. Give her some time to think. Who really knows what she's going through right now?"

Relena had cried all the way back to Heero's room, struggling to ignore the words they had spoken, while convincing herself that he couldn't possibly be dying. 

The room was eerily silent, save for the rhythmic humming and beeping of machines. She looked out the window, taking in the dull, gray haze that had filled the sky. The first signs of what promised to be one hell of a storm were starting to roll in, and she could see the streaks of heavy rainfall marking the horizon. 

She reluctantly turned her attention to the figure sleeping all too soundly in the bed at the center of the room. He looked peaceful, she thought to herself, studying his lax features for any awareness to her presence, not really surprised when she didn't find one. If only he knew the desperate plight that she and the others were facing in trying to save his life. She shook her head.

"You've always been the strong one." She whispered, kneeling down on the floor beside his bed. "Tell me how to help you, Heero. Tell me what I should do." 

She released a heavy sigh, delicately lacing her fingers around his own, before laying her head against the edge of the mattress.

_Please, Heero, I don't think I can do this on my own_ She cried to herself in the comforting silence. 

The faint flicker of movement against her hand stopped her tears instantly, and she lifted her head to see that his fevered cobalt blue eyes were settled on her own.

A mix of confusion and boyish wonder crossed his face, as if pondering the reason for her presence.

"You stayed?" He whispered, unable to muster the strength to speak any louder. 

"It's where I belong." She replied, solemnly. "Where I want to be."

"Then why do you cry? No one person is worth so many tears." He stated, weakly, tracing the thin trail that stained the length of her cheek. "Especially not someone like me."

She could see the toll his illness was taking on him, as he struggled to draw in enough breath to keep speaking, and quickly placed a shaky finger to his lips in an effort to silence him, while easing the pain in her heart at the same time.

"You need to rest nowYou mustn't waste your strength worrying about me." She whispered, caressing his flushed cheek until he surrendered to the beckoning darkness once again. "Sleep now. It will be all right soon. Everything will be okay."

_How can you even imagine living the rest of your life without him?_ She asked herself as she brushed the unruly bangs from his eyes, smiling softly as they fell stubbornly back into place. 

"I don't even want to try" She whispered, before rising to her feet. Stepping over to the door, she looked back at the young man who had captured her heart so long ago. In that instant, she knew what she had to do. 

She owed him that much.

* * * * *

"They've agreed to go ahead with the procedure, Zechs." Noin stated, proudly, relief and hope washing over her tired features. "Sally is fairly convinced that this will work. The technology is sound, but it won't be easy in his current statehopefully his body is strong enough to handle it."

"And Relena" 

"She's doing okay." Noin reassured him, knowing how much he still struggled with his own feelings, particularly where his sister was concerned. Concern was not something a soldier expressed easily.

"Have there been any new leads?" She asked him, after a moment, noticing how uncomfortable the previous discussion was becoming.

"Not as of yet. ESUN officials have been making statements to the press in Relena's absence, but their leads are vague at best. Right now, it seems the scientists who have created this have decided to lay low for awhile. Probably to avoid any unnecessary attention"

"But you think it's just the calm before the storm, don't you, Zechs?" Noin asked him, not thoroughly convinced of his reply.

"I just don't think they would have started something that they weren't prepared to finish." He stated, icily. "What should I tell the pilots?"

"Tell them that with any luck, we'll be home soonAll of us."

* * * * *

There had been nearly an hour of preparation before the actual procedure began.

Due to possible contamination and the threat of infection, Relena had not been allowed inside the hematology lab, but she rarely strayed more than a few feet from the large observation window overlooking the room.

It was determined, even before they got started, that the toxin coursing in his veins was too unpredictable and Heero's system far too compromised to attempt even a mild anesthetic, but it was kept on standby as a precautionary measure.

She couldn't shake the uneasiness she felt just watching him.

He looked so pale, and she had to force herself to accept that it truly was him, as the technicians hooked him up to a sea of machines designed to sustain his life. She couldn't remember a time when she had ever seen him appear so small and frail as he did now. 

She could see his lips moving soundlessly through the clear plastic oxygen mask gently bound to his face, and couldn't suppress the thought that he was silently bargaining with death for just a bit more time.

And found herself silently voicing the same small prayer. 

She could feel the color drain from her cheeks as the doctor checked Heero's vitals, logging in his current temperature at 104.3. 

_That's much too high_She noted, with a sadness that brought her physical pain.

"You're too strong to give up now, Heero" She whispered, tracing her fingers across the smooth sheet of glass that divided them. "Hold on just a little longer."

"As soon as dialysis is complete, I want this kid on the heaviest dose of antibiotics and antipyretics that his system can handle." The doctor said, his words flooding the small room she was in, through its makeshift intercom system. "We've got to bring that temp under control, and clear up the infection in his lungs as soon as possible."

Relena could see the steady, although labored, rise and fall of Heero's chest, and her own began to ache sympathetically.

She could feel her fear and frustration build in witness to the way the oxygen mask misted over with each shallow breath. Felt her blood run cold as his own was slowly drained away, being pushed through innumerable tubes and filters where it could be washed, before being returned to his body. 

In that single moment, she would have given anything to change places with him. 

Anything.

With a sigh of resignation, she sank into the hard, plastic covered chair, and waited. 

* * * * *

"RelenaRelena, wake up"

She could hear the voice calling to her, gently shaking her shoulder, but she was just so tired. 

"Come on, you have to wake up, Relena."

The voice was becoming clearer, more persistent, harder to ignore.

"I'm awakeI'm up" She mumbled in response, though she didn't even realize it was her own voice saying the words.

Her eyes drifted open to find both Noin and Sally Po staring at her, intently.

"I fell asleep." She stated, bolting up to see that the table in the hematology lab was vacant, the doctors and orderlies gone. "What happened? Where is Heero? Is it over?"

"Just relax. Take it easy." Noin soothed, softly, pushing Relena back against the chair. "Heero is back in his room. They finished about forty-five minutes ago."

"Is he all right? I mean did it work? Will he be okay, now?"

The questions were coming a mile a minute, and her heart was twisting into knots inside her chest, as she searched for the answers in their faces.

"The procedure went fine, he's stable, but weak" Sally reassured her, despite the hint of apprehension in her voice.

"But, there's something else. Something's wrong." Relena replied.

"There's no real way of knowing for certain whether or not we got it all. His temperature is still up, which is a fairly strong indication that he's not in the clear, yet. The doctors aren't confident that the antibiotics are helping, and if his lungs continue to fill with fluid, it may be necessary to place him on a respirator to keep him breathing."

"Is he awake? I want to see him." Relena stated, determinedly forcing her way up and out of the chair. She couldn't shut off the feeling that was nagging at the back of her mind. The one that was telling her that it had all been for nothing. "I need to see him."

"He's been in and out, and to be honest, I'm not sure he would know you were even there." Sally replied with a heavy heart. "But I think you should go. If his fever doesn't break by morning, than we've really done all we can do."

Relena didn't look back as she left the observation room. She didn't look up at the faces of the people she passed, or the water-colored paintings that covered the walls, attempting to distract the quiet shadows of death that resided there. She didn't allow herself to cry until she opened the door to his room, where the stillness of death lingered, waiting patiently to take the soul of the young man that she had come to love and admire away from her forever.

Her eyes narrowed as she stood there watching him, witnessing the way he clung to each breath as though it were his last, and longing to be the reason that could convince him to stay.

Longing for a way to help him cheat death just one last time

She felt the hopelessness overwhelm her as twin tears painted her cheeks and she fought back the sobs, until they threatened to tear her apart at the seams.

She wanted to scream, or lash out, or hit something. It took a moment to find the words to describe that emotion, and sighed as she realized that it was defeat. 

She had given up.

Her eyes never left the still form on the bed, as she silently crossed the room, admiring the way the moonlight danced across his perfect features as he slept. 

He was curled up on his right side beneath the thin, cotton sheets, his right arm extended just beyond the guardrail. Snaking her hand closer, she grazed the surface of his forearm, careful to avoid disturbing the assortment of tubes and wires, IVs, and thick medical tape that seemed to be holding him together. 

Sally's words replayed in her mind on an endless loop, crushing her soul with thoughts of his death. 

"I'd give you my strength if it would save you, Heero."She whispered softly, placing a gentle kiss to his forehead as a renewed trail of tears slid down her face."And give up my life if it could spare yoursbut it can't."

_I can't_ She thought to herself, taking a step back as the truth hit her full force.

So many emotions filled her heart in that single moment.

Acceptance.

Regret.

Loss.

Walking to the other side of the bed, she wiped the tears from her eyes and sat down, letting her shoes clatter to floor as she slipped under the covers to lay beside him. Wrapping her arms around him, she let the warmth of his body envelop her, as the last of her emotions crept to the surface.

Loneliness. 

_Neither of us have to be alone anymore_ She thought to herself, pulling him close, as the weariness once again began to drag her under. _Maybe death will be kind and take us both_

She let her eyes slip shut, and waited for the inevitable.

END

Woah, was that a huge sapfest or what! Wow! Well, believe it or not, that is it for this chapter! Hope you all enjoyed it, because it was a tough one! And try to think happy thoughts while I work on the next one. He'll get bettersort of**Shut up little evil demon in my mind!**... HE WILL!! **STOP THAT!**... So, until next timeif there is one**growls** -Luvspook


	11. Episode 10: Best Left Forgotten

Disclaimer: It figure

Disclaimer: It figures! I finally found something I love writing about, and wouldn't you know it! Someone else already owns it! DRAT! Oh, well, who needs fame and fortune anyway, right? 

Author's Note: Amazing but true, yes, I have finally gotten back to work on this fic, after some subtle hints from my sweet thing Stella, informing me that I was seriously slacking! Thanks, babe, for all your support! Also, to all of you loyal readers out there, and any new ones just tuning in, thanks for giving this fic a chance! If you have any suggestions or just food for thought to share, don't hesitate to e-mail me! I love mail, and enjoy hearing your thoughts on my workall reviews are cherished, even criticism! Thanks again! I guess I'll let you go read now!

Oh and to anyone who has forgotten where I left off in my last episodehere's a quick sum up

Heero underwent dialysis treatment, in the hopes that the toxin could be flushed from his system. Relena is informed that the procedure may not have worked, as Heero is left weakened from their efforts. Giving in to her fears, she lays down beside him, preparing for the worst.

Now, onto Episode 10

War's Restitution by Luvspook

Episode 10: Best Left Forgotten

_"Mission accepted"_

_The words fell from his lips as though someone else had spoken them. As though he had flipped a switch, and somehow managed to detach himself from all reason, and become nothing more than the unfeeling machine they had wanted him to be. No feelings rose within him as he tightened his grasp on the small detonation switch, which was displayed defiantly in his outstretched hand. The words Dr. J had offered replayed in his memory, carrying with it the unspoken solution ensuring a continuation of life for the colonies. A mission in sight was all that remained._

_The mechanical beast that sheltered his enemy stopped instantly in its tracks, hesitant to abandon its attack completely, yet fearful of the extreme decision he was preparing to make. Instead, it stared down on him, as though daring him to continue, trapped in a moment of disbelief and mild admiration._

_Without the thought of consequence, a satisfying click sounded, as the tiny red button depressed beneath the increased pressure of his thumb. In the passing of that moment, he felt his mobile suit shake in its mechanical death throes, powering up for a surge massive enough to destroy itselfand its pilot. Yet, he felt nothing._

_Beams of light pulsed from beneath the massive plates of gundanium, cutting through the barely lit sky, with the sheerest intensity. In a brilliant flash of light, a sound unlike any he'd heard before touched his ears, coursing through his body with a pain so extreme as to steal the very breath from his lungs. His screams were drowned in an explosive thunderclap that plunged his world into darkness, and he found himself falling, tumbling through the void with nothing more than the knowledge of a mission failed. _

_Death was the price of failure. He had accepted that as fact, for as far back as he could remember. Now, death had come for him. He felt the soldier slipping away, seeping from his_ _mind and body into a crimson pool below, and embraced his end with open arms._

Heero woke with a start, his body trembling in the faint reminiscence of a dream that he couldn't dismiss as reality, yet no matter how hard he tried, couldn't bring himself to recollect, either. The room was filled by a stillness that was strangely soothing to him, his surroundings dim, yet no longer blurred in an obscurity of pain.

A soft hum radiated from somewhere nearby, and he slowly shifted his weight to search out its source. The tangled mass of tubes and wires that encompassed his arms and torso moved with him as he pushed himself upright, making every effort not to disturb the sleeping figure beside him in the process.

Images of her flooded his still wakening senses as the past several hours seized his fractured memory. 

She had stayed, close enough that he had felt her presence and her warmth 

She had always been by his side 

Watching over him. 

Protecting him.

Still, he resisted his own questions as to why.

He only knew with an unnerving certainty, that for whatever reason, he was a threat to her. And that simple knowledge alone made his heart ache. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't shake the uneasy feeling that just being near her was placing her in danger, somehow.

Glancing down at his arm, he pulled back the thick medical tape holding the needle of his IV in place, proceeding to extract it from his skin as frustration welled inside him once again. 

Fingering the bruises still painfully visible along his forearm, he felt an unwanted shiver course through him; his mind turning traitorous as visions of being back in the lab resurfaced.

The lights, so unforgiving and painfully silent, standing witness to his pain.

The restraints 

The injections...

He clutched his head as the memory of words floated dangerously close to his understanding, yet somehow, still managed to evade him.

__

_You'll remember nothing_

The electrodes monitoring his vitals sent the machines into a frenzy as he ripped them from the surface of his arms and chest, and he quickly flipped the switch of the EKG off, before its frantic beeps could wake Relena.

His breath caught in his throat as she stirred, a soft sigh escaping her lips, before drifting back into the depths of slumber once more. Never removing his eyes from her face, he gingerly lifted himself off the bed. 

The room swayed slightly, as the blood renewed its pace through his body, but righted itself with every minute that he remained on his feet. He could feel the distinct pull of tape and bandages across his side as he rose to full height, lifting the oversized, cotton hospital gown in order to view the wound that lay beneath.

The jagged crimson scars that stretched across the surface of his skin stared back at him, the pristine ebony stitches that crossed over each one only raising more unanswered questions in his mind. Running his hand along one of the more serious looking lacerations, his mind began to reel, flashing images in his head until he was forced to steady himself, using the wall for support.

_A large white room with a tiny steel-barred windowone full of voices, which hid his screams from the world_

_Pictures flashing in his minda woman, her dark brown hair and soft painted lips the color of blood_

He struggled to put the pieces together, to give the face in the photograph they had shown him a name, but felt the image slip further from his grasp, the harder he tried.

_Her face came to his mind again, this time with hair drawn back, her thin framed glasses glaring as they revealed a cold and calculated glarethe glare of an enemy_

__

The noise of the rain quickly disrupted his thoughts, the fleeting images once again erasing themselves from his mind, as he turned to observe the storm through the small window across the room. By the looks of it, night had fallen quite some time ago. The streets normally polluted by noise and lights were now vacant, the people having scurried to some place dry and warm until the first light of morning. 

He could still feel the invading chill of his memories clinging to the darkness in the room, and quickly settled himself on the windowsill overlooking the expansive world beyond. Resting his head against the cool glass, he ran his fingers along its surface, chasing the trail of tiny drops snaking down the other side, soothed by the sounds of the falling rain.

* * * * *

Dr. Bertrem crossed the lab with the distinct feel of urgency guiding his step. 

He could hear Selleste and Wendt, their voices a taut whispering in light of the surrounding noises in the lab, and it didn't take much to figure out that they were engrossed in conversation regarding the project. 

Dr. Arend and Dr. Jerard were already present, and he could just make out Dr. Arend's words as he closed the distance between them.

"Selleste, at present, this situation is far from what I would define as contained. The fact that you're as relaxed as you are, only worries me all the more. Need I remind you that the time frame you gave us is rapidly diminishing."

"Arend, I can assure you, I hold that Preventer, Colton Reid, in the palm of my hand. Within hours, he'll have found the boy. The project will be back on track, as though the last 48 hours had been nothing more than a dream." Selleste replied, eyeing each of the four remaining scientists as though daring them to object. "We continue to play it smart and all of our efforts will be rewarded."

"That's assuming that that pilot hasn't already given our descriptions to Preventer Headquarters." Dr. Arend commented, dryly.

Dr. Jerard was quick to respond, his temper and general in-your-face demeanor reaching the point of absurdity. "Don't you think if they had that information, we would have received a visit from them by now?"

"Precisely, and the fact that ESUN is still fumbling for answers in light of the Vice Foreign Minister's leave of absence, only suggests to me that we still have time." Selleste answered, eagerly.

"So what are your plans for the boy after Reid finds him?" Wendt questioned, eyeing Selleste in anxious anticipation.

"He is a threat to the project, Selleste." Jerard stated, pointedly.

"But can the project even reach its final phase without him?" Bertrem asked, quietly. "The fact that he survived his exposure to the toxin only convinces me that he will be far more difficult to replace then you would like us to think."

"Though the treatments were incomplete, I believe we were close" Wendt continued, observing the other scientists. "The human body can be manipulated to perform insurmountable, even inconceivable acts of violence, when properly provoked. So long as we can perfect the means to manipulate the mind of a human subject, we can always find a replacement for that boy."

"Unless our young former Gundam pilot is still compromised, in which case, he can still be of use to us." Cairn stated, monotonously. "If not, he will simply be eliminated. Either way, the Preventers will have no way of stopping us."

END

For now, at least! Well thank you all for being so incredibly patient over the last oh, MONTH AND A HALF!!! I didn't intend to take so long getting back to this, but I hope it was at least worth the waitUntil next time, I promise I won't make you wait as long! Loves and thanks to all of you! -Luvspook


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